Metallic door construction



n- 4 s. s. BATTLES ETAL 6 5, 8

2 r Steward 5 5615595 & Lazzls ff, M005 by f H11 5 Jan. 12, 1954.BATTLES ETAL 2,665,781

CTION HIE 5 Patented Jan. 12, 1954 U'Niiiib stares PATENT OFFICE 111,assignor s by mesne assignments, tofAdmiral Corporation, Chicago, 111.,a corporation hpialicatioii satisfy 12, 1949-, Serial Ni). 76;585

1 This invention relates t6 11nprovei'nent's ln a fabricated anel andmethod. of making thesame; and more particularly to a hollow panelcustdinafiiy made fro'rii two nieces or matenai having flangesther'arou'h'd and disposes in nestedreiw tiiinship' with each other theresultant fa'bil dated panel being highly desirame' for use as a cabinetdoor; drawer treat, or the like, although the invention Hat/e other usesn eurpeses win tie" aeba eixt t6 s nned th art.

Panels or the was i which the instant imren tion finds mboaifii fitgenerai sist ore itcht een er me er hav ng reaiwardl'y tuinegtl side andend flanges"; ana rea member or 1 er nevi-fig forest aw turned na and anear; the liner being of s size that its flanges test withinfiainf thefront minpenti as comprising a fabr cated panel of substantial buthollo'jfi ifit1-"""r; the past; eeee'm g' difficulty been experienced int e mnufaewre o ofthisgeneral character a sufiiifitly m al panner, r scauses in the ifx a by fact that the flanges the outi or front member teiidedto separate eeeeee ngiy tion has be I flanges to thri lengths. IWith fistedicofistructiomaj se of spot-Welds mngtntnse oi any pair ofadja nt fiahg'es was" ifri b1" unduly ftoin' the fi' eas er th uierpniess an 2 oiainis. (01. 189-463 2 this type heretofore known, butproduced far more economically.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a new andnovel methodof making a fabricated panel of the character disclosedherein.

Also an object of the invention is the provision of a new and hotelmethodof making a fabricated panel of a pair of flanged sheets reverselytelescoped, including the steps of providing openings in the i sheetsthrough which overlapping flanges may be welded or equivalentlysecuredtogether, after which the openings may be closed.

Still a further object of this invention is the provision of a new andnovel method of making a fabricated panel including the steps ofsp'o'twelding overlapping parts together through openings provided forthe securement of accessory fit tings, and so shaping overlapping partsto cause inherent resisting of any tendency to separate between weldingpoints; i

While some of the more salient features; characteristics and advantagesof the instant in-.' vention have beenaboveipointed out, otherswillbecome apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings; in whichi Figure l is a front view of afabricated panel embodying principles of the instant invention; Withparts broken away and parts shown in section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the structure of Fig,1 taken substantially as indicated by the line II-II of Fig. 1, lookingthedirection of the arrows;

Figure 3 is antlenlar'ged plan sectional view of the structure of Fig. 1taken substantially as indicated by the line IIIIII of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a face view of the front member of a fabricated panel; inwhich dotted lines indicate Where formation bends are made;

t Figure. 5 is a vertical section through the struo ture of Fig.e'take'n substantially indicated by the line v- -v of Fig. 4, indicatingin dotted lines a step in the formation of the member;

Figure? 6 is a face view of the rear member or liner of the fabricatedpanel;

Figure 7 is a Verti'cal' sectional view taken sub stahtially asindicated by the line VII VI1of Fig. 6, indicating by dotted lines stepsin the formation of the liner; and

Figure 8' is" a magnified fragmen a y Vertiwhich may be there is shown afabricated panel in the form of a cabinet door, which was selected forpurposes a of illustration, it being understood. that by obviouslyreshaping the structure, fabricated panel might be used as a drawerfront, or in other locations known to those skilled in the art. Thefront and rear members making up the body of the panel are preferablyformed from sheet steel, and by way of example will be so describedherein.

The fabricated panel includes a front member or sheet l having arearwardly bent flange 2 on each side and end thereof, so as to providea substantially open sided bxlil:e structure. At opposite corners alongone side thereof, the front member 8 is notched more deeply thanrequired by the respective flanges as indicated at 33 to provide roomfor hinges. in each end flange adjacent the respective notch the frontmember isalso provided with: a pair of spaced openings t to accommodatehinge securing means. In the upper central portion thereof, the frontmember is provided with a pair of apertures to accommodate'handleholding means.

A very important feature of the construction of the front member is abend indicated at t in one or more of the flanges 2. This bend causesthe rear edge portion '5 of the flange to be disposed laterally inwardlybeyond the rer inder of the flange for frictional engagement withacorresponding flange on the liner element of the paneL. The bend,therefore, not only rigidifies and strengthens the flange but alsocauses such frictional engagement with the corresponding flange on therear or liner member.

By way ofexample, and not by way of limitation, it may be mentioned thata bend at an angle of is satisfactory for this purpose. That formationin the flange causes the flange to be inherently capable of resistingany tendency to separate from the corresponding flange on the linermember. V

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention we have shown such a bendon each of the four and in most cases the bend need only be pro- I videdin the side flange opposite the hingesor in that'side flange and the topflange.

V The rear member or liner comprises a sheet having a forwardly turnedflange t on each side and end thereof. ably straight and substantiallyat 90 to the body of the sheet 8; 6f course, the sheet 6 is sufficientlysmaller than the front sheet i so that the flanges 3i will telescopewithin the flanges 2 as clearly seen in Figs. 2 and 3. With reference toFig. 6 it will be seen that the liner is also notched at i i-ifi deeperthan required bythe respective flanges so as to conform with the notches33 the front member and provide room for hinges. In its end flangesadjacent the notches iill, the liner is provided with a pair of openings5 l for hinge mounting elements, and these openings ii arepreferablylarg'er than the corresponding openings i in the front member.Adjacent each end thereof on the side opposite the hinge notches, theliner provided with a The flanges ii are each preferi relatively largeaperture i2 designed to later accommodate a rubber bumper or stop memberwhich would engage a pilaster. or flange of a cab. inet with which thefabricated panel is associated in a known manner. In its upper centralportion, or in any other desirable location, the liner is also providedwith a polygonal or square opening It to accommodate a holding catch. Apair of spaced apertures It are also provided in this liner member tocorrespond to the apertures 5 in the front member for the accommodationof handle securing means.

On the inside face of the front member a. flanged channel type brace i5is provided opposite a handle it held in place by any suitable means,such as bolts ll passing through the apertures 5 and it in the front andrear sections of the panel. It will be noted that added rigidity isgiven the entire structure by the fact that the liner 8 contacts thebottom of the channel brace l5 as seen in Fig. 2. Also, each panelmember i and preferably carries on its inner face a vibration dampeningelement I 8 of known construction.

In order to secure the two sections of the fabricated panel together, inaccord with the instant invention, it is only necessary. to make one ormore 'spot-weldsin the corner regions of the panel. In the illustratedinstance two such spotwelds are indicated at [9 at the upper and at thelower corner hinge side of the panel, these welds joining theoverlapping flanges 2 and 9 together. In that corner region it is notnecessary to spotweld or equivalently secure the end flanges 2 and 9together becausethe hinge securing elements passing through theapertures f and II will accomplish that purpose. On the opposite sidethereof, the overlapping end flanges may be secured together by one ormorespot-welds indicated at 20 and the overlapping side flanges by oneor more spot-welds indicated at. 2|, at both the upperand lowercornerregions.

With the instant construction, no other securing means need be employedto unite the front and rear sections of the fabricated'panel. Betweenthe welded areas, it being considered of course that the hinge securingmeans corresponds to a welded area or point, a flange on the frontmember will not tend to separate from the corresponding flange on therear member by virtue of the bend 6. The relatively slight bend 6 in aflange on the front member makes it possible and practical to utilizeonly spot-weld connection in the very corner portions of the structure.As soon as the rear section is telescoped, reversely within the frontsection, frictional engagement between the edges 7 of the front sectionflanges is established with the corresponding flanges on the rearsection and this frictional engagement will endure throughout the lifeof the panel in ordinary usage. 7 a

In constructing the fabricated panel, it'is a simple expedient to blankout a sheet I to the shape seen in Figi, and then bend in the respectiveside and end flanges as indicated by dotted lines in this figureand inFig; 5, providing the bend at 6 either beforeor after a flange 2 isturnedat' right. angles to the body of the sheet as may be deemed mostdesirable.

The rear member orliner i made from a blanked sheet seen in Fig. 6, andthe respective flanges c turned inwardly as indicated by dotted lines inthis figure and Fig. 7.

The two box-like panel sections are then roe versely telescopecl to theposition seen in Fig. 2 and 3. It is then asimple expedient to insert awelding electrode or horn into the openingprovided by the hinge notchesand provide the spotwelds l9. It i also a simple expedient to insert a.

welding electrode through the openings l2-| 2 in the liner and providethe spot-welds 20 and 2|. After the welding operations are completed, ofcourse the respective notches and the respective openings are filled up,the notches by hinges, and the openings |2l2 by bumper elements. Thismethod of making the fabricated panel is extremely easy to perform andfar more economical than any methods heretofore employed for the makingof devices of the same general type as the fabricated panel.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a strong,durable, and highly economical fabricated panel of pleasing appearance.It is also apparent that I have provided a new, novel, and extremelyeconomical method of making or manufacturing such a device. Both thestructure of the fabricated panel and the practice of the methodcontribute to the reduction of cost to an extent heretofore notpossible.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A fabricated door comprising front and rear members having flangesformed along the edges, said flanges on the rear door extending at anangle normal to the plane of the panel and being planar in formation,the flanges for the front panel extending rearwardly therefrom adaptedto telescope over said flanges on the rear panel and being at an angleto the front panel of greater than 90 degrees to a point beyond themidsection in the direction of thickness of the door and inclining at anobtuse angle from the front portion to provide a free edge forengagement with the flange on the rear panel adjacent the panel.

2. A fabricated door comprising front and rear members having flangesformed along the edges, said flanges on the rear door extending at anangle normal to the plane of the panel and being planar in formation,the flanges for the front panel extending rearwardly therefrom adaptedto telescope over said flanges on the rear panel and being at an angleto the front panel of great-- or than degrees to a point beyond themidsection in the direction of thickness of the door and inclining at anobtuse angle from the front portion to provide a free edge forengagement with the flange on the rear panel adjacent the panel, andreinforcing means for said. door comprising a U shaped beam extendingand bridging the space between the front and rear panels, and handlemeans including a handle disposed on said front panel and screw meansextending through said rear panel and said beam into said handle meansto hold said panels, handle and beam securely together.

STEWART S. BATTLES. LOUIS H. MOOS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,003,784 Parish Sept. 19, 1911 1,247,250 Field Nov. 20, 19171,898,417 Woehler Feb. 21, 1933 2,010,520 Kiekert Aug. 6, 1935 2,142,438Faiveley Jan. 3, 1939 2,196,781 Saino et a1 Apr. 9, 1940 2,253,384 Lownet a1. Aug. 19, 1941 2,297,609 Clark et a1 Sept. 29, 1942 2,335,329Whitehead Nov. 30, 1943 2,391,436 Miskella Dec. 25, 1945 2,556,099 MyerJune 5, 1951 2,579,157 Price, Sr. Dec. 18, 1951

